Frederick the Great, and His Relations with Masonry
and Other Secrete Societies

THE BUILDER AUGUST 1921

TAKEN FROM THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE LADY CRAVEN

Elizabeth, the youngest daughter of the fourth earl of Berkeley, was born on
December 17, 1750. A sprightly and beautiful girl, she had many love affairs,
and was finally married to William, 6th Lord Craven. She was unfaithful to him,
having relations with the French ambassador, Count de Guines, but was pardoned
by her indulgent husband. After Lord Craven's death she went to Germany and
found a place in the train of the Margrave of Anspach, to whom, after an
unseemly friendship, and within three months after the death of his wife, she
was married. There is no need to detail her history further, or print the long
codicil of her titles, save to say that, after having seen life in many courts,
among them Russia, and after having had a most mixed career of love affairs and
intrigues, the Lady published her "Autobiographical Memoirs" in 1826, when she
was in her seventy-sixth year. From these Memoirs the following chapter, with a
few irrelevant paragraphs omitted, has been taken: for what reason, the Masonic
reader will immediately discover for himself.

The best edition of the "Autobiographical Memoirs" of the Margravine is
published by John Lane under the title of "The Beautiful Lady Craven"; the two
volumes are attractive in appearance, as most of Lane's books are, and halve
been very ably edited by A. M. Broadley and Lewis Melville.

WE DISPATCHED a courier forward, after whose arrival at Berlin the King sent
eight fine horses to draw us through the sandy plains of Prussia. The frost and
snow in Bohemia had much damaged the springs and wheels of our carriage; but we
arrived without any serious injury or accident, from a journey which was the
most terrific I ever underwent; for if any thing had ever happened to the
Margrave, I and I alone, should have been accused of doing him harm.

When we arrived at Berlin, the Carnival being ended, all the Royal family
were gone to their different villas; but His Majesty returned to meet the
Margrave at his palace; while I was left to the discretion of the Princess
Royal, afterwards Duchess of York, who had her own establishment in the Royal
Palace.

We remained here only four days, during which time I saw but little of the
Margrave, for he was constantly with the King. He informed His Majesty that
there had existed a mysterious correspondence among some of the nobility of
Bareith, and others at Anspach the object of which he supposed was to form more
distrusts between Austria and Prussia.

Frederick William II had succeeded to the throne on the death of his uncle
Frederick the Great, in 1786. He made many salutary regulations for his subjects
and established a Court of Honour to prevent the horrible practice of duelling
in his dominions.

As I was willing to gain all the information possible respecting so great a
character as Frederick the late King, it may easily be imagined that I lost no
opportunity which could be afforded me during my residence among the Royal
Family, and which, together with the Margrave's knowledge of this illustrious
man, and that of Prince Hardenberg, afforded me much satisfaction.

After my marriage with the Margrave, we brought out from Anspach a
full-length portrait of the late King, for which he himself sat, for the
Margrave, whom he also presented another of his father, Frederick William. The
countenance and whole figure are striking resemblance of His Majesty. The
expression is surprisingly fine. I had it placed under a canopy at Brandenburgh
House, and those who have seen it can never forget it.

When Frederick ascended the throne he was only twenty-eight years of age. lt
is well known to all Europe how this great Prince profited by the army left to
him by his father, and the riches which he had accumulated. He had been detested
by the late King when he was Prince Royal, because he appeared to apply himself
to the sciences and fine arts rather than to military affairs. Having followed
his father to Wesel, he conceived the project of passing into a foreign country.
He had probably other motives than those of gaining instruction by travels; no
doubt it was to escape the tyranny of his father: but the latter had gained
information of his design, and arrested him at the moment of its execution. He
was tried by Commissaries who had the firmness not to condemn him to lose his
head. It might appear to be a light crime for the presumptive heir of a kingdom
to quit the realms without the permission of his Sovereign; but such was the
law. Of four-and- twenty judges, only one was found who voted for the sentence
of death, and that was a person named Derschau; yet such was the magnanimity of
Frederick when he came to the throne, that this man never experienced from him
the slightest vengeance.

Frederick, his father, was on the point of renewing on the theatre of Europe
the scene of Don Carlos, or more recently that of Czarowitz. The Prince was
pardoned; but the unfortunate companion of his flight, his friend and confidant,
was decapitated.

Frederick has been accused by his enemies as having neither shed a tear nor
used an argument to induce his father to save this victim from destruction. But
I have been assured, from those who were present at the scene, that when the
unfortunate man was led to the scaffold, the Prince Royal demanded his pardon
with the effusions of a heart broken by grief; and that he fainted more than
once during the punishment, and in fact experienced the greatest anguish. Before
the execution he had tried every means in his power to save him. In his despair,
he had offered to his father to renounce the throne forever, in order to
preserve the life of his friend whom he loved: but the inflexible Monarch, not
satisfied with the sentence of the judges, who had condemned him to the galleys
for life, with his own hand signed his death-warrant, alleging that there was no
justification for the crime of high treason, and treating his son's entreaties
with indignation and contempt. Katt was the grandson of a field-marshall, and
son of a general of that name at that time both alive and in the service of the
King.

Frederick the Great was born with sensibility, but he learned to suppress his
emotions and his feelings; he saw how necessary it was to be just, as well as
merciful, during his long military career; and perhaps the firmness which has
been his reproach, was the greatest triumph of his nature.

After this event he retired to Rheinsberg, applying himself to all kinds of
acquirements; and here he learned to play on the flute, on which instrument he
excelled, not as a prince, but as an amateur of the first rank.

His allowance was extremely moderate, and his father had vigorously forbidden
any one to advance him money. This order was, however, ill observed, and it has
been objected against him that when King he never repaid the obligations of his
creditors. But the fact was otherwise; he paid them in secret. The Minister of
his father's finances had refused to advance him money, and when the Prince
ascended the throne this man was supposed to be ruined, and on his coming to
give in his accounts demanded permission to retire; when the young King, to the
astonishment of all round him, praised his fidelity, begged him to continue his
services, and doubled his salary.

What a different fidelity from that of the judges of poor Katt, who
considered blind obedience to the commands of their Sovereign as a proof of fit
submission to his authority!

It is a singular circumstance in the history of the House of Bradenburgh,
that during the space of 370 years, in which time the sovereignty was in their
hands, there was never experienced one minority.

Frederick enjoyed an immoderate reputation, and to a certain point even the
adoration of his contemporaries, not only as a warrior, but as a governor of his
empire, and as a profound politician. His assiduity was indefatigable, and his
skill in affairs of government transcendent. The Government of Prussia appeared
to rise from the seeds of despotism, and formed a lesson of instruction to the
world. Notwithstanding his exactness and his inflexibility in war, he obtained
the affections of his soldiers, who always denominated him their Father Fritz.
It was the name by which he was familiarly called through the army.

The severity of his conduct towards Baron de Trenck (1) has excited the
indignation of mankind, and has been considered as a blot on his escutcheon; but
arbitrary order and rigorous detention have to be exercised in other countries
as well as in Prussia. Without pleading this as an excuse, I shall endeavour,
with impartiality, to remark on the leading points of the justification of
Frederick's conduct, derived from those who were acquainted with the cause of
such a punishment.

M. de Trenck had been forbidden by the King, whom he acknowledged not only as
his Sovereign, but as his benefactor, to write to his uncle, who was a chief of
the Pandours.

His injunctions were violated. The King demanded of him personally whether he
was in correspondence with his uncle. M. de Trenck denied it. "Do you give me
your word of honour of it?" said the King. "Yes, Sire," was the answer. It was
at the very time that Trenck had just written to his uncle, that this dialogue
passed. The discovery was made, and M. de Trenck was sent to the fortress of
Magdeburg: it was a punishment usual in the Prussian service. M. de Trenck
plotted his escape, and fled with an officer whom he had seduced to desert, he
killed those who pursued him. The King's Resident at Dantzic, whither Trenck had
fled, sent him back to his Sovereign. Trenck had certainly violated every law -
he had at first been disobedient, then perjured - a rebel, and a murderer.

At Magdeburg, Baron de Trenck recommenced his devices: his imprisonment was
in consequence rendered more severe, and his confinement lasted for ten years.

Trenck was six feet two inches high, and squinted: he was popular, and always
followed by thousands. After the death of Frederick he published his Memoirs. At
that period, all who were acquainted with the groundwork of his history were
dead: on his own testimony depends the whole of his relation. Those whom he
cites in his narrative have probably forgotten the circumstances of so distant a
date, but without recurring to vague conjectures regarding the truth of this
affair, or of the cruelty exercised against him, M. de Trenck avows that he had
intrigued with a person of illustrious rank. If that person, as has been
generally supposed, and which from good authority I know to be the case, was the
Princess Amelia, sister of the King; if from this connection there were children
who were deprived of life by means the most horrible - what strong inducements
might not the King have had for visiting on Trenck a punishment of the severest
kind, without being under the necessity of explaining (from motives of decorum
and decency) the reasons which influenced him to such an act.

Frederick frequently broke his officers for causes light in appearance; but
he always had heavier charges against them, which were unknown to the rest of
mankind, and which he concealed for the purpose of preserving military
discipline.

As soon as Frederick ascended the throne, he invited into his kingdom all
those who were called les esprits forts: Voltaire, le Marquis d'Argens, the Abbe
de Prade, Maupertuis, and even the impious La Metrie. This example encouraged
the literary Germans to proclaim their sentiments, Berlin became the asylum of
the persecuted, and the nursery of truth.

The history of the secret societies of Germany was at that time little known.
It might be interesting to a philosopher, but the generality of people might
regard it as a romance: all well-informed persons can attest the reality of it.

Towards the end of the last century an association, or secret society,
existed, which was daily gaining ground. It was the Order of the Illumines. The
chiefs of this Order had resolved to form an association which was to unveil the
mysteries of superstition, to enlighten mankind, and to render them happy. Their
object was to gain a superiority over the lodges of Freemasonry, (2) and to turn
these institutions from darkness to the benefit of humanity. They proposed to
extend the sphere of knowledge universally, not so much in depth as on the
surface; to introduce reason and good sense; to ameliorate the condition of men
by an insensible operation. No Prince, however great or good, was to be
admitted. They swore to preserve, as much as was in their power, Sovereigns from
the perpetration of crimes, and from the commission of errors; to abolish the
slavery of despotism, to destroy ecclesiastical jurisdiction, to favour the
liberty of the press, and to unveil mysteries of every description.

The project was great noble and sublime; but prudence was wanting in its
execution. They expected to see a sudden effect, whilst they forgot that the
edifice was only building. The society enlarged, the wicked and designing were
admitted; the powers of bigotry and superstition saw the force of their enemy,
and the arm of Government was called to their assistance. Many of the chiefs
were driven from Germany, others were imprisoned, and every thing but death and
torture inflicted on them.

The dispersed members of this association soon formed another assembly; they
were again surprised, their papers taken, and their doctrines published, without
regard to the effects which they might produce. Many sects arose from these,
which rendered discord prevalent throughout Germany. Their different Orders had
little resemblance to Freemasonry - they were visionary, mystical, and
cabalistic.

Frederick had too sound an understanding to be caught in the snares of
enthusiasm. It is not known whether the attempt were made to conquer him, but it
is most probable that he was never tried. Nor is it certain when the area or how
the nature of the misunderstanding between this Monarch and the superiors of the
Order of Freemasonry began. Whether he was ignorant of the machinations of
modern Masonry, of the visions and the horrors which were latterly raised, or of
the general tendency of these mysterious associations; or whether having once
adopted the Masonic costume, and having openly protected its Orders, he did not
wish, even after having seen its evil tendencies, to retract and to separate
from a society into which he had erewhile not disdained to enter - he refrained
from excluding from his dominions these secret associations.

Masons of every denomination - Rosicrucians, Centralists, Illuminate - had
all, under his reign, the liberty of establishing lodges and societies according
to their fancy, provided they did not disturb the public order.

Thus Berlin became the receptacle of sects, of parties, of conjurations, of
chemical mysteries, and of extravagances of every kind.

In the meantime instruction was not neglected, and Frederick supported and
protected every institution which might extend education throughout his kingdom.
Rousseau had written his Emilius - a work the most perfect of its kind, and
which places the author incontestably in the rank of the first of benefactors to
mankind; in Germany this production became as a torch which extended its light
throughout; it opened to the system of education new views. Youth was taught not
by words alone, and those in an unknown language - but he gave them clear ideas
of natural things, of moral and physical relations, of mechanism, of history,
and of geography.

Frederick did not lose sight of the good effects of such a system of
education; and to promote it, established a Consistory, which was to superintend
every institution, and at the head of which he placed himself. He procured
masters, and did not blush to render homage to the superiority of the
institution which he had promoted. The example of the Sovereign excited the
nobility and gentry of the nation, and Frederick inspired in his subjects an
admirable and laudable competition.

It was in one of those moments which in human life are so contradictory to
the general sentiments of the mind, that Frederick, hearing the news of the
proscription of the Jesuits in France, by the public functionaries, exclaimed,
"Pauvres gens! ils ont detruit les renards qui les defendaient des loups, et ils
ne voient pas qu'ils vont etre devores."

Frederick had sanctioned and approved the writing of the philosophers; he had
become a philosopher himself. Heveltius had published his work De I'Esprit in
France, and to avoid punishment had fled to England. Le Contrat Social of
Rosseau had found protection among the magistracy; and the Parliaments had
defended Doderpt's declaiming against despotism. The Court and Clergy had
admired Voltaire's ridiculing the Parliaments. There has been exaggeration, when
it has been said that the philosophers proposed by a regular plan to subvert the
foundations of societies and thrones: they worked to that effect without being
sensible of it. They did not wish to be the destroyers, but the preceptors, of
monarchs: and had Montesquieu only produced his work Sur les Romains, and his
Esprit des Lois; had Beccaria only written his Traite des Delits et des Peines;
had Voltaire only refuted Machiavel, and defended Calas, Scriven, and Lally; had
pleaded the cause of nature, of morality, and of religion; and had the
Encyclopedists respected the principles of religion alone - they would have been
entitled to the indulgence of the world. But the discussion of one subject led
to a another, and in the correction of abuses they proceeded beyond the bounds
which they had prescribed. Then it was, that one of the greatest Kings who ever
wore a crown figured in the correspondence of philosophy: then it was, that he
pronounced in his Academy the eulogy of the man who wrote L'Homme Machine,
("Man, a Machine"-Ed.) and that he compelled his churches to celebrate obsequies
of the man who had endeavoured to undermine the foundation of Christianity.

This influence spread throughout Europe: it penetrated into every class.
Diderot, D'Alembert, and Condoreet, united their forces in the operation. Then
the sects of the Illuminate, who had associated for the destruction of revealed
religion, overthrew its foundations, as far as regarded themselves, and
introduced a new code founded on natural morality, which led to the system of
primitive equality.

Even Frederick himself proved that a king, though a man of letters, could not
sustain with dignity the sceptre of literature. Some unfortunate members defiled
the character of his Academy; but Euler and La Grange were an eternal honour to
it. Some men of high estimation were associated with others of obscure and even
ridiculous talents: their inequalities were great.

It was a prejudice generally spread throughout Germany, that the province of
Prussia, and Berlin in particular, was peopled with Atheists. Because Frederick
encouraged freedom of thought in his dominions; because he collected and united
about his person men of genius; because, under his reign, some irreligious books
escaped from the Prussian press - this conclusion, as absurd as precipitate, was
adopted. M. Nicolai, a distinguished writer and bookseller of Berlin, (a union
very rare, though it were to be desired that it were more general,) had depicted
Berlin in a romance with great truth; and his work displays excellent notions on
the manners of Germany. He has shown, that if, in general, there are some
Freethinkers in the Prussian provinces, the people at large are attached to the
national religion.

Towards the end of the seven years' war, a man named Rosenfeld, in the
service of the Margrave of Schwedt, quitted the service of that prince, and
began to inform the populace that he was the new Messiah; that Jesus had been a
false prophet; that the preachers were rogues and liars, who preached death;
that for himself he preached life, since his adherents never died; that the King
of Prussia was the Devil; that the time approached when he (Rosenfeld) should
assemble together the twenty-four Elders, and should obtain the sword, and
govern the world with their assistance.

Rosenfeld prevailed on some of his adherents to deliver over to him seven
girls, of whom the zealous fanatics were the fathers. It was, he said, to open
the seven seals that he required seven virgins. With these he formed a seraglio:
one of them was his favourite Sultana; he made the others work, and lived upon
the profit of their labours. After having carried on the trade of a Messiah for
twenty-nine years, under different mischanges; first poor, then imprisoned,
afterwards entertained by the presents of his votaries, and living habitually by
means of the wool which his mistresses spun; after acquiring disciples in Berlin
and its environs, in Saxony, and even at Mecklenburg - one of his faithful
followers, who had in vain expected to reap the fruit of his splendid promises -
even one of those who had delivered over to him three of his daughters, accused
him before Frederick; that is to say, denied his Messiah, who he believed to be
the true God, before the King, whom he believed to be the true Devil. This very
accuser always regarded Rosenfeld as the real Messiah, and only wished that the
King could compel him to realize his prodigious offers.

The King sent Rosenfeld to a natural tribunal, which condemned him to be
whipped, and shut up for the remainder of his days at Spandau. The Supreme
Tribunal commuted this sentence, and pronounced that this new Messiah should be
sent to the House of Correction, where he should be flogged as often as he at
attempted to have an adventure of gallantry, and after two years that a report
should be made of his manner of conducting himself. The defenders of the accused
appealed: the King revised the process, and confirmed the severer sentence of
the first tribunal. He imagined, without doubt, that it was necessary that
Rosenfeld should be punished in the sight of the people, to prevent them from
being in future deceived through similar visions.

But the most absurd opinions are often the most tenacious, because they have
no perceptible basis by which they may be measured; and this spectacle did not
undeceive any of the adherents of Rosenfeld, a great number of whom remained
attached to him.

He went afterwards to preach his doctrines at Charlottenberg, hardly a mile
from the capital; but he found that this theatre was too small for two fanatics
like himself and Musenfeld. The Government, without doubt, tired with his
persevering enthusiasm, overlooked his folly and left him in repose. . . .

Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick, (3) the conqueror of Creveldt and of Minden, was
induced, by the persuasion of the Baron de Hund, who was a Reformer, to place
himself at the head of the reformed Lodges of Freemasonry, which has taken the
appellation of the Strict Observance. It was supposed to be an Order of
Freemasonry which was a continuation of the Society of Knights Templer: the
highest step was that of a Templar, with all the ceremonies of ancient chivalry.
Doctors of divinity and professors of Physic were received as Chevaliers d'Epee.
It is hardly possible to conceive that reasonable beings could lend themselves
to ideas so ridiculous; example, however, did everything, and enthusiasm was
contagious. In this branch of the Order there reigned a monastic despotism, and
men who led away by rites and ceremonies. The members alone possessed the
secret; those out of the Order could never tell where or what it was.

As no woman can possibly be a Mason, every woman has a right to endeavour to
penetrate the mystery. (4) It is admitted that Adam was the first Mason; he
founded the first lodge - he had all the instruments necessary for the purpose -
he produced the mortar;- without Eve there would have been no lodge. Where is
the mystery of Masonry, if the idea be followed up? Having created the lodge, he
made members for it: those members created others, and the society extended over
the globe; and while the globe exists, members will never be wanting. Over this
secret I will throw the apron!

When the minds of men were sufficiently heated, the actor of this drama
caused to appear upon the scene the Thaumaterges, or miracle-workers. These
appeared to have ordinarily no relation with Freemasonry in general, but
attached themselves to personages eminent for rank or fortune. One of the first
of these charlatans was Schroepfer, a coffeehouse-keeper of Leipsic, on whom
Duke Charles of Courland (5) had inflicted corporeal punishment; but who
afterwards so fascinated this Prince, and a greater part of the principal
personages of Dresden and of Leipsic, that he compelled them to act a principal
part with him.

At that time were reproduced on the theatre of Europe the follies of Asia and
of China - the universal medicine - the art of making gold and diamonds - the
beverage of immortality. The peculiar qualification of Schroepfer was the
invocation of manes; he commanded spirits, and caused the dead and the invisible
powers to appear at his will. The denouement of his drama is well known. After
having consumed immense sums which he obtained from his adherents, and alienated
their senses, when he found that he could no longer sustain the imposture, he
shot himself through the head with a pistol, in a wood near Leipsic.

To Schroepfer succeeded Saint-Germain, who had been before announced by the
Comte de Lambert. This Saint-Germain had lived a thousand years; he had
discovered a tea, before which all maladies disappeared; he made, for his
amusement, diamonds of immense magnitude! He attached himself to Prince Carles
of Hesse; (6) but, like his predecessors, he forgot not to die.

In the meantime Gessner, religious miracle-worker, appeared in the environs
of Ratisbon. He did not belong to the Freemasons, nor did he attach himself to
any of the principal members of the Order; but he was equally useful to it, -
for all the prodigies of which he was heard to speak corroborated the general
faith of miracles, which was one of the great springs of the machine.

In the heart of Switzerland lived a preacher of an ardent imagination - of a
penetrating mind - of immeasurable ambition - of undaunted pride; am ignorant
man, but gifted with the talent of speech - intoxicated with mysticism - eager
after prodigies - and made up of credulity. He imagined that, with faith,
miracles might at this time be effected. Servants, peasants, Roman Catholic
priests, Freemasons - all combined in his mind as contributing to the gift of
miracle-working, whenever he discovered the slightest appearance of anything
extraordinary.

M. Lavater (7) gained a great party, particularly among the women; these
brought him the men - and he had soon thousands, and subsequently millions, of
followers after his visionary ideas.

After these, succeeded Mesmer (8) and Cagliostro (9) (whose tricks and
extravagances are well known), without reckoning the crowds of madmen, of
charlatans, of jugglers of every kind, who sprang up on all sides.

This concourse of knaves, far from appeasing the divisions of Freemasonry,
augmented the fermentation. A new branch arose in the dominions of Frederick: it
was called the Lodge of Zizendorf, from the name of its founder. This Zizendorf
had been formerly a member of the Templars, from which Order he detached
himself, and formed a great party, assuring them that he alone had the true
rites and the true mysteries. Each of these branches decried the other. This new
agitation attracted the attention of men of sound understanding (at least of the
Order), who immediately formed a new association under the name of Eclectic
Masonry. They professed a general toleration of all sects of the Order; and this
system, which was the only solid one (if any system of the kind can be so),
gained in a short time many partisans. This was the cause of the fall of the
Order of Templars, who soon saw their machine in ruins. Frequent Chapters were
held, where the deputies of the provinces deliberated; and, with surprise, the
first question they found they had put to the Grand Master was, What is the true
end of the Order, and its real origin? Thus the Grand Master, and all his
assistants, had laboured, for more than twenty years, with incredible ardour,
for an object of which they neither knew the true end nor the origin. Thus
puzzled and perplexed, the system of the Templars was abandoned, and an Order
instituted of the Chivalry of Beneficence.

Every secret association has something of resemblance to a conspiracy, and it
is incumbent on every Government to watch over it. But some consideration must
be paid to the characters of the members. If they will not bear the test of
inspection, doubtless measures should be taken to prevent their increase, with
moderation and prudence. And when it is more-over remembered that Sweden lost
its constitution from these associations, which are frequently composed of men
profound in design and indefatigable in perseverance, no means should be laid
aside which may develop their plans. . . .

(1) Frederick von der Trenck (1726-1794), a native of Konigsberg. His arrest
at Dantzic in 1754 caused a great sensation throughout Europe. He was not
liberated until 1756. He was denouched as a spy in France, and guillotined July
25, 1794. (2) Frederick the Great was, however, an ardent Freemason, and as such
was instrumental in arranging the initiation into, the Order of more than one
member of the British Royal Foraily. (3) Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of
Brunswick (1735 - 1806) killed at the battle of Jena. He was an ardent
Freemason, and entered into friendly relations with the English Grand Lodge. (4)
The Margravine in this instance is mistaken. Masonry of Adoption, or Feminine
Freemasonry, was extensively practised in France and on the Continent. Marie
Antoinette and her sister Caroline, Queen of Naples, both belonged to the Order
of which the unfortunate Princesse de Lamballe was for a time Grand Mistress.
(5) Charles, Duke of Courland (b. 1728). (6) Brother of the reigning Landgrave
William IX. Born 29 Dec, 1744. (7) Johann Caspar Lavater (1741-1801). (8)
Friedrich Anton Mesmer (1734-1815). (9) Alexander Cagliostro (1745-1795). His
connection with Freemasonry is fully, but not exhaustively, described in Mr.
W.R. H. Trowbridge's biography (1910). (10) La Metrie wrote a book called "Man,
a Machine." It was published in this country by the Open Court Company of
Chicago.

A Postscriptural Preachment by the Editor:

The editor begs indulgence of the veteran Masonic student while he
administers a preachment to the young students in the Craft, using the above as
a text for the same. Those young students are asked to use the Lady Craven
article as a kind of laboratory task whereby to examine two or three rather
important canons of historical study. They are asked, nay, urged to sharpen
their young critical faculties on the intriguing paragraphs of the Beautiful
Lady, for they will not soon encounter again so useful a specimen.

They are asked to note first, that the Lady Craven received nearly all her
information at second-hand, and then not often from authoritative sources. This,
at one stroke, removes her narrative, which is so well-informed upon the surface
of it, from the class of genuine historical sources, and renders all she says
(with all due respect to the memory of the clever grande madame) more or less
suspect. What is gossip worth as evidence? Nothing! In history gossip is almost
useless, more especially in those passages whereabout much controversy has
raged. When you undertake the study of Masonic authors bear in mind that you are
ever to stand on your guard against the easy sin of accepting gossip at its face
value. Ascertain first of all if your author had access at first-hand to his
sources of information: if he did not, next ascertain, if you can, how reliable
were his informants. Accounts of Masonry, no more than any other chapters of
history, are not to be taken on anybody's mere say-so, even though the say-soer
himself wore the apron. In other words, the laws of evidence are in full force
in the Masonic province. Masonic Scholarship! what crimes have been committed in
thy name by those who have forgotten this simple fact! In the second place, it
is always necessary to ascertain the competency of the author himself (or
herself) to deal with the matter in hand. Facts themselves are useless to one
incapable of thought. What impression of the intellectual capacities of the
Beautiful Lady do you gain from the above, especially from that diverting
paragraph in which she develops a quite Jesuit bit of argument drawn from the
eventful experiences of Adam and Eve? Does it anywhere appear that she knows
anything about Masonry herself? Would a well-informed writer have mixed together
the Illuminati, the Thaumaterges, the Messiah Worshippers and all that into one
whole and dubbed the thing Masonry? It is evident that the Beautiful Lady knew
nothing about her subject, even though more than once she clearly attempts to
make the reader believe that she has seen behind the curtains of it all. When
one is being invited to receive a palpable deceit it is well that he become
sceptic at once and read on with a grain of salt.

Note another thing, not closely connected with the above. Suppose that you
have read another account of Frederick's doings in Masonry, etc., and that, as
would be very sure to happen, your author's account would violently disagree
with that furnished by the Beautiful Lady: how would you decide in your mind
which of the two to believe, or whether either one might be true in his (or her)
statements? In such a dilemma it is wise to refer the matter to the experts. The
experts may disagree, that is true. They often do, and in that case one must let
his judgment hang in suspense: but usually on important matters, and where there
is much available data, the experts are sure to be in general agreement, and if
so it is seldom difficult to learn what are their conclusions. (THE BUILDER
exists in order, among other things, to make accessible to Masonic students the
work of Masonic experts). It happens that THE BUILDER published. recently an
opinion by an expert on some of the very things about which Lady Craven writes
so engagingly. In the month of December for last year you will find Arthur
Edward Waite's reply (and what a thrilling reply it was!) to the canards against
Freemasonry published by the London Morning Post. Look up that article and read
what that "master of those who know" had to say about Frederick the Great, and
the Illuminati, etc. (Wouldn't it be "rich" to read a reply from Brother Waite
to the article on Freemasonry published in the Roman Catholic Encyclopedia? Such
a reply would surpass the one referred to above, and would be worth going miles
to see!)

Lastly, when the beginner makes his debut into the field of Masonic lore he
soon grows dizzy at the complexity of it all, begins to realize too keenly his
own ignorance, and is tempted to abandon it all at the start. Brother Beginner,
do nothing of the kind. Put up with your helpless sense of bewilderment while
you doggedly wade through six or seven volumes of Masonic history: After awhile
the country will begin very gradually to disclose itself; you will see the great
landmarks emerging from the mist; and finally the highways will stand clearly
revealed. After that it is no trouble to walk therein. You will gain confidence
in yourself; you will not abase yourself any more at the feet of every author
you encounter; you will come at last to have an informed judgment on Masonic
matters and to trust that judgment. Long before you have reached that
satisfactory stage you will have learned enough to see that any writer who lumps
together a great variety of secret societies, religious cults, and private
fanatics and calls the whole thing Freemasonry, is not a writer whose pages are
to be taken seriously.